2016 Farm Girl Goals

Happy New Year! How have you done on your resolutions during this first week of 2016? I’m trying my best to stay on track and this post is going to help me.

Every January, I get very excited about all of the things I want to accomplish in the next year. One of the resolutions I always make is to get the blog going again. I PROMISE 2016 is the year. 😉 To get started on that resolution, here’s a post with a bit of inspiration for all of us to get in touch with our inner farm girl. Even if you don’t live on a farm, I hope you find some great “back to your roots” ideas in this post that you can add to your bucket list.
We purchased the farm in 2013, but Scott had been slowly converting me into a farm girl long before that. Growing up in town, allergic to hay, and with a very sensitive nose, I really didn’t think I would end up on a farm – EVER. I’ve have fully embraced it though, and each year, always try to add to my farm girl skills. There is just such a great sense of empowerment when you can pick up a skill, that earlier in your life you never would have even dreamed of trying.

Many of these things, anyone can learn. The modern-homesteading movement is growing, and with the internet, it is easy to connect with people across the country that are making things from scratch, raising farm animals, and providing for their families in ways similar to their great-grandparents – even in the city! Feeling proud of something you have done with your hands and possibly saving money along the way is a bonus to having these skills to fall back on if ever needed.

Last year I:

Learned to drive a skid steer

Made cold process soap

Milked a cow (by hand even!)

Made my own butter, sour cream, and cream cheese.

The 2016 list is on a post-it on my desk:

Learn to drive a tractor

Make mozzarella cheese

Bake with duck eggs

Learn to use a pressure canner

Here are some more ideas to help you complete your own list. Some I’ve tried, and others are still on my bucket list. If any of these ideas excite you and you would like some resources to get started, just let me know! Filling the blog with more detail on many of these is another 2016 goal of mine. 🙂

Render lard

Start seeds indoors

Make your own cleaning supplies

Make homemade yeast bread

Learn to back up a trailer

Cook on cast iron

Make a pie crust from scratch

Start a compost bin or pile

Learn to use essential oils

Tap maple trees & make syrup

Learn to build and maintain fence

Make your own candles

Make freezer jam

Keep bees

Start a fire without gasoline

Go fishing & cook your catch

Make your own wine or beer

Grow an indoor herb garden

Cook a whole chicken

Trim hooves on a sheep or goat

Shear a sheep

Learn to spin wool

Learn to hem a pair of pants

Make bone broth

Hatch chicks or ducklings

Learn to knit or crochet

Make pumpkin puree

Bake a cake from scratch

Learn to decorate a cake

Keep backyard chickens

Make one of your grandma’s recipes

Plant a vegetable garden

Learn basic first aid & CPR

Dehydrate fruits, vegetables, or meat

Freeze leftover vegetables to make soup

Make a pie from scratch

Learn to patch a pair of jeans

Fix a piece of clothing instead of tossing it

Trade goods or services with a neighbor

I’m sure I’ve missed some great ideas on the list, so feel free to add in the comments or share your own farm girl goals.

I love your list of aspirations – they are similar to mine, but I don’t know what a steer skid is! Maybe because we don’t live on an actual farm? (I’m a recent transplant to MN from a Colorado tourist town).
I am busy dividing mine into “1 thing a week” goals that I actually schedule on a calendar (or they won’t happen).
I did want to say that repairing bluejeans is a quandary. You can sew holes together but it doesn’t last long. I would suggest the easy more durable way: patch them with iron-on patches. But, there are lots of things to MAKE with old jeans, like really cute things! My latest DIY discovery was a bag for clothespins! The cutest thing by far though was a lap quilt with jeans pockets – making one of those ‘countdown calendars’ for kids (Christmas). You stuff the pockets!
Good luck with your list!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

Website

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Follow Us:

Get Our Newsletter

First NameLast NameE-Mail Address

We send monthly updates and may occasionally send special offers.

Find the Farm

Our Address:
E7631 North County Road E
Elk Mound, WI 54739*GPS may take you to the incorrect location*

DIRECTIONS:

From Eau Claire: Take I-94 West to Exit 52 to State Hwy 40 North toward Colfax for 3 miles to County Rd E. Turn left on County Road E. Stay on E for 3 miles and you will find us on the right-hand side of the road.

From Chippewa Falls: Take Hwy 29 West to State Hwy 40 North toward Colfax for 3 miles to County Rd E. Turn left on County Road E. Stay on E for 3 miles and you will find us on the right-hand side of the road.

From Menomonie and the Twin Cities: Take I-94 east to exit 45. Turn left on County Road B. Go approximately 1 mile to 650th Ave. Turn right on 650th Ave. Go about 1 mile and continue driving straight onto County Road E. Follow County Road E for 3 miles and you will find us on the left-hand side of the road.

2016 Food Drive

Community Food Drive
This year we will be collecting non-perishable items for Stepping Stones of Dunn County. When you bring an item on their list of most needed items (check it out here), you will receive 50¢ off of your admission.(Items must not be expired and only 1 discount per person).
Let's work together to help … Read More

Eggs For Sale

We raise free-range laying hens that produce the most delicious & nutrious eggs around! Our eggs are in high demand, but we are adding to our flock to try to keep up this year! We sell them … Learn More

On The Blog

Nothing is better at warming you up and helping you feel cozy on a cold, snowy Wisconsin day like a hearty bowl of chili. My kids give this chili recipe 4 out of 5 thumbs up - which means it is pretty darn good!
For the ultimate comfort meal, serve the chili over baked sweet potatoes or mashed … Read More